


Through Richard's Eyes

by AbAbsurdo



Series: Short unconnected one shots [2]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Fluff and Humor, M/M, Pre-Relationship, naughty thoughs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:42:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25903765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbAbsurdo/pseuds/AbAbsurdo
Summary: Richard meets Mr. Barrow and life takes a different meaning.
Relationships: Thomas Barrow/Richard Ellis
Series: Short unconnected one shots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858300
Comments: 6
Kudos: 74





	Through Richard's Eyes

I.

The Downton Abbey butler is young. A bit like a fish out of water. Clumsily cute.  
And handsome.  
Richard looks straight ahead, tilts his head, and smiles.

Mr. Barrow, it is. 

Poor chap is over his head and Richard wants to take his hand in his and calm him down.   
And push him against the wall -or down on a bed- and ravish him silly.  
Alas... work to be done. And Mr. Wilson to narrate his preconceived speech, Richard has heard too many times before.  
The faces of the servants of the Abbey are priceless.

  
Mr. Barrow's expressions will be treasured in all eternity, he just doesn't know it yet. Richard hides his smirk by lowering his gaze.

II.

Mr. Barrow leads him to his room. He explains their dinner routine as Richard gazes him from behind. Head to toe, Mr. Barrow is elegant in a way his awkward welcoming had prevented him from seeing.

  
His voice washes over him. It’s pleasant. Want to roll in it and wrap it around him like a warm blanket.  
Well damn!

  
Moving forward. 

  
“Is he often ill?”

  
Oh cheeky. 

  
Handsome? Check  
Elegant? Check  
Mischievous? Check  
Like him? Hmmm

Richard imagines taking him by the hand and going for a drink, a flick, a dance… and a tumble.

Down boy!

  
He laughs alongside the man whose name he doesn’t know. 

III.

  
Richard feels at home among the servants who behave more like a family rather than colleagues. It’s refreshing.

  
Mr. Barrow is the leader of this company of remarkable individuals. 

  
He’s jealous of him. They are not like in the Royal household. Households.

  
“I wish I could get away.”

  
He steals a glance at Mr. Barrow.

  
Scratch that. He’s jealous of them. He’d like to follow Mr. Barrow’s lead. 

  
_So yeah! Come with me in York, babe. Pretty please?_   
_God bless you, Ms. Baxter. Remind me to buy you flowers._

  
Richard is satisfied. He’s got a date.

  
Even if Mr. Barrow doesn’t know it. 

  
Richard is a step away of writing "Mr. Richard Barrow" on his notebook and that’s only because he doesn’t know the man’s first name to add before his own surname.

  
Sigh.

IV.

  
Mr. Barrow is talking to him. Richard looks starry eyed and him, but has no idea what he’s talking about.

  
“So, can you help?”

  
_Sorry, what?_

  
“Repeat it for me,” _love of my life._

  
“I have to dispose of the royal footmen so our own to reclaim their position in the house.”

“But, you’re no longer the Butler.”

  
Mr. Barrow looks at him all squinty eyes and disappointment, and Richard wants to dig a hole and bury himself in it. 

  
This won’t do.

  
“Of course, I’ll help!”

  
_What had you plan to do without me, sweetheart? Abduct them and throw them in the river?_

“His Majesty won't give a tinker's cuss. Now do as I say!”

  
Richard may lose his job over this, but Mr. Barrow stifles his laughter and he does too. 

  
Good Lord in heavens above! Are these dimples?

  
Richard wonders how it would feel to put his hands on those cheeks -and boy aren’t they magnificent- or his lips and see if they will cut him. If he’ll bleed.

  
_What? How? What?_

_He’s usually not that sentimental. Cross his heart and all that._

  
Alas… pub.   
Mr. Barrow alone.  
He in his parents’ house.

  
Double damn!

V.

  
Family reunion finished, and gosh didn’t it take too long? Richard thinks he should feel guilty for thinking he wasted time he could have had with Mr. Barrow.

  
And Mr. Barrow is gone. 

  
The barman looks him up and down. “You looking for a Barrow?”  
“Yes?”  
“Is that a question?”  
“No.”  
“He said to tell you he’s gone.”  
“I can see that. Where to? Did he say?”  
Barman leans closer and whispers. “Turton’s.”

  
_Is baby boy stupid?_   
_Why, yes he is._

  
“Thank you.”

  
That’s how he finds himself outside the secret club waiting for Mr. Barrow to come out. Instead police gets in.

  
How many damn! is it now?

  
At the very least, Mr. Barrow is like him.

  
Kind of a foolish, wide-eyed lamb, but like him all the same.

  
Kissing the dimples isn’t out of question.

  
First, to get him out of prison though…

  
VI.

  
“I'd rather be dead if I thought I was one of them. But what can I say to the earl?”

Richard’s stomach does turn, but if he plays it right, sweetcheeks will be in his arms soon enough. Or close to his arms. 

  
Away from other arms.

  
In the meantime, he imagines beating the living daylights out of the Sergeant. It's a nice image, fulfilling. 

  
He promises to himself one day he will dance the tango with Mr. Barrow.

  
After he learns his name. 

VII.

  
He watches like a hawk as Mr. Barrow comes out of the police station. Leaning against the car because he wants to play it cool. 

  
Mr. Barrow looks like a beaten pup, metaphorically speaking. He’s worried and tries to defend himself and Richard’s heart swells with feeling. _Silly indeed, sugarplum._

  
The man takes his card and the feeling curls around his insides like a fluffy animal. 

“You just need to be a bit more circumspect in future, Mr Barrow.”

Richard knows all about circumspection, a proper agent in the making. He puts his finger to his lips and touches Thomas’, wishing there were no leather separating the skin of his finger from the plumpness of Mr. Barrow’s lips.

Circumspection is Richard’s middle name and touching a man’s lips after touching his own outside the police station is the very definition of prudence. Especially when said man and his lips were arrested for indecent behaviour.  
As if dancing the tango is indecent.   
No!  
Wait!

Watching Mr. Barrow’s eyes widen in unexpected understanding is the highlight of this night, if Richard wants to be honest. 

VIII.

Talking with Mr. Barrow is emotionally exhausting. 

  
Richard can imagine a few ways for Mr. Barrow to show his gratitude but they are not to be shared among polite company. Plus, gratitude should have no place in what’s in Richard’s mind. 

  
Yes, yes he’s a proper boy scout. So sue him. No, he’s not Scottish.

Mr. Barrow keeps going on and on about the injustices of life and Richard wants to take him in his arms and protect him from the world. 

  
It also crosses his mind the absurd idea Mr. Barrow is a virgin.  
Nuh…  
Just a silly boy.  
  
They are talking now. They are like each other. Richard tries to reassure him the future is ahead and may be better and if it is, wedding registry is in order. 

Mr. and Mr. Barrow.  
Mr. and Mr. Ellis.

Whatever. 

Dimples.

IX.

Richard comes down the stairs behind Mr. Barrow.

  
What on earth is the man’s name?

  
They smirk at each other and it feels great. Richard walks past him because he’s really close at pressing him against the wall and taking that bottom lip between his. 

  
They sit opposite each other and if Mr. Barrow’s smile and looking down in a failed attempt to hide it isn’t the cutest thing he’s ever seen then he can question even the validity of his own name. 

  
It is the cutest thing ever. The dimples are back in full force and Richard’s heart is ready to tie itself in a bow and present itself to Mr. Barrow as a gift. 

  
X.

Richard is ready to leave and finds Mr. Barrow in the pantry. It’s clear he’s been waiting for him, because he is just sitting there not doing anything… waiting for Richard. 

And Richard has to leave and leave this man behind him. 

Mr. Barrow seems just as sad as Richard feels. He says he hopes they can keep in touch.   
_Oh God, yes._

He says he’s finally found a friend.   
What?  
A friend? That’s not what he was saying last night with Richard’s tongue in… Ah! that was a dream.  
Blast. 

“Is that what you've found, Mr. Barrow? A friend?”

Mr. Barrow’s expressions are quite possibly the second cutest thing Richard’s seen. And he can’t even describe them. So, he reaches over, takes the back of Mr. Barrow’s head and pulls him in a kiss.

His palm moves to the much admired cheekbone and masculine jawline. This man is a piece of art. Lips move along lips and Mr. Barrow’s hand finds its proper place on Richard’s nape, finger slipping in the strands of his hair.  
Pure bliss.   
As long as it lasts.  
It’s not much.

Andy interrupts them, and his mouth has to depart from its newly found home.   
It’s a sad affair.   
The two men spring apart and after Andy leaves, they stare at each other, want taking permanent residence in his soul.

Jokes aside, Mr. Barrow is the man he looked for his whole life. 

Like him? Check.

He brings out a key ring with a silver crescent moon fob.

“So you can think of me ‘til we meet again?”

Mr. Barrow holds it in his hands and looks down at it as if it is the most precious thing he’s ever been given. Or maybe it’s the promise they will meet again. Richard hopes it’s the latter. Wishes it’s both.

“Thank you.”

The sheer emotion bleeds through Mr. Barrow’s voice. 

He’s called again and Richard Ellis hurries away, not seeing Thomas standing there dejected, but hopeful. 


End file.
